My Painter is backed up 3 weeks . So I picked up the brush

[Matthew Paul]

I just picked up a new rental about 2 weeks ago A nice 2/1 with a unfinished basement . Been going over everything , called my painter last week and he tells me he is swamped and cant get there for 3 weeks .  Damn . I have a tenant moving in 3 weeks from now . 

Well painting isnt as easy as it looks .  1 day fixing nail pops , caulking cracks , and assorted drywall repairs .  Another day and a half cutting in the wood trim (2 coats), doors  ( 3 coats due to bleed through )  and 2 closets , and a pantry  and the entire ceiling , all semi gloss white . Another 1/2 day sanding walls , the rest of the day cutting in around windows , doors , and the entire perimeter of the ceiling .  Then finally the easy part , rolling the walls 1 day  for 2 coats.  Four days total , 10 hour days . Three gallons of mud , and 12 gallons of paint .  

Next is the basement , right now its ugly , 4 block walls painted green in some areas , light blue in others , and 1/2 the floor was painted.  This is where I spray . I am doing the unfinished ceiling ( bare 1954 dry wood . This will suck up the paint .  I buy mis tinted paints in light colors and use them as primer , mix them together and use them to seal the wood and get the walls an even color . then finish with semi gloss white .  

The fun part is power washing the walls and floor .  

This is another 3 day project to be done next week . 

I see why painters charge what they do . Its not hard , but its tedious .  

[Matthew Paul]

@Natalie Schanne  I am a contractor , I wont do craigslist . I am a full legal business . If I hire a laborer for a day or two they have to go on payroll . Workmans comp , everything .  I would waste more time looking for someone , its faster for me to jump right in . 

My guys are on my jobs right now . We are real busy . My subs are busy . And my competition is busy . So I took the only man I could spare , myself . 

I did get 2 day laborers  for 1/2 day  to carry out debris . but all they did was whine and complain and fight with each other . The only good thing was they worked for 10 bucks a day plus lunch . And they could keep some junk that came from the basement . 

I got them from the preteen labor force . My 2 boys . Nine years old and 12 years old .  A 2 hour job took 4 hours .